Filling and drain coupler

ABSTRACT

An improved filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance and the like in which the outer casing parts of the coupler serve the dual function of providing a pleasing appearance and also locking the internal operating parts in their proper position so that the entire device is compact, economical and highly reliable.

United States Patent Ill-l 3 ,559,681

[72] inventors Wilbur W. Jarvis [56] References Cited J p Michs UNITED STATES PATENTS A I N gg g 2,805,089 9/1957 Hansen 2ss/321x H 1969 2,876,023 3/1959 Ford 285/137 [45] Patemed Feb. 2, 3,216,455 11/1965 Comellus 137/594 [73] Assignee Whirlpool Corporation Primary Examiner-William R. Cline Benton Harbor, Mich. Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & Mc Cord a corporation of Delaware [54] gg F COUPLER ABSTRACT: An improved filling and drain coupler for suprawmg plying water to and draining water from an appliance and the [52] US. Cl 137/594, like in which the outer casing parts of the coupler serve the 285/8, 285/137, 285/321 dual function of providing a pleasing appearance and also [51] Int. Cl .1 Fl6l 39/00 locking the internal operating parts in their proper position so [50] Field of Search 137/594, that the entire device is compact, economical and highly reliable.

Z5 12 x i PATENIEU FEB 21971 SHEET 1 0F 2 FILLING AND DRAIN COUPLER One of the features of this invention IS to provide a filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance such as a laundry device, dishwasher and the like having the above characteristics.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be ap parent from the following description of certain embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of a dishwasher having a coupler embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical enlarged sectional view through the coupler of FIG. 1 in the plane bisecting the two mirror image halves of the outer casing and with the releasing handle turned to the plane of the section.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the water receiving portion of the couplerwith the handle cover removed.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but also illustrating this second embodiment.

The coupler of this invention is particularly useful on a movable appliance such as a dishwasher 10. Other appliances that utilize a source of water are laundry devices and the like.

The dishwasher 10 has attached thereto for retraction into the appliance through a rear opening 11 and for extension therefrom a pair of flexible, such as. rubber, hoses 12 and 13 with the hose 12 being a water supply hose and 13 being a drain hose. The outer ends of the hoses I2 and 13 are held by a filling and drain coupler 14 embodying the invention and for supplying water to and draining water from the appliance 10.

As is shown in enlarged section in FIG. 2, the coupler 14 is intended to be used with an adapter means 15 that has an internal bore 16 for releasable attachment to a water supply such as a sink faucet (not shown). The adapter 15 has an external shoulder 17 in the form of a peripheral groove around the outer periphery of the adapter. Within the body of the coupler 14 there is provided an inlet tubular member 18 having one end 19 that is generally cylindrical and another end 20 at right angles thereto that is generally conical in steps of increasing radius. The tubular member end 20 is intended to receive the adapter 15, as shown in FIG. 2, for supplying the appliance 10 with water.

The end of the cylindrical portion 19 is annularly serrated as shown at 21 for receiving the inner end of the upper or water supply hose 12. This inner end 22 is shown somewhat enlarged as a result of being forced on the serrations 21.

The coupler I4 comprises a pair of opposite side or body members 23 that are substantially mirror images of each other and with these body members being held in assembled relationship by a plurality, here shown as three, of fastening screws 24. Each body member 23 is provided with substantially semicircular ribs and 26 which tightly grip the outer surface of the hose end 22 and press it against the serrations 21. Thus the side or body members 23 which provide substantially all of the aesthetic outer appearance of the coupler 14, as can be seen in FIG. I, are clamped together by the fastening means screws 24 to press the hose engaging areas thereof which include the ribs 25 and 26 in locking engagement with the one end I9 of the internal tubular member 18 of the coupler. This also serves to lock the second or water drain hose 13 to the coupler, as the lower ends of the body members are pro vided with similar ribs 27 and 28 that clamp against the outer surface 29 of this hose. The end of the drain hose is firmly locked in position by providing it with a square enlargement 30 within the coupler and between the pair of ribs 27.

In order to attach the coupler 14 to the adapter 15 at the annular groove 17 there is provided a latch device 31. This latch device comprises an arcuate spring 32 having one end 33 fixed against rotation by positioning it in a groove 34 that is located at one edge of a ring 35 that is positioned within the upper end of the top of the tubular member portion 20. The other end 36 of this arcuate spring 32 projects outwardly through an elongated arcuate groove 37. This end 36 of the spring functions as a handle and is normally covered as shown in FIG. 2 with a rotatable ring cover 38 that is provided with a hollow radially extending extension 39 which receives the handle end 36 of the arcuate spring 32. Thus the radial extension 39 itself serves as the spring operating handle. The cover 38 also conceals the end 33 and its groove 34.

As can be seen in FIG. 2 the ring 35 is in two parts with the upper part 40 containing an inner peripheral groove 41 which cooperates with the groove 17 to provide a retaining space for the arcuate spring 32 The parts 35 and 40 are attached together at their contacting surfaces for function as a single unit.

Each cooperating side or body member 23 is provided with a top inwardly directed flange 42 which overlies a bottom flange 43 on the cover 38 to hold the cover in position and this cover in turn is provided with an inwardly directed flange 44 which overlies an annular top edge portion of the upper part 40 to in effect from a guide for the cover 38. The cover 38 and its projecting extension 39 operating as a handle are thereby movably mounted on the coupler 14.

The pair of cooperating side or body members 23 are also shaped at their adjacent areas to provide a retainer for a bleed valve 45 that communicates with the interior 46 of the cylindrical end 19 to which the inner end 22 of the water supply hose is fastened in the manner previously described. As shown in FIG. 2, this bleed valve 45 comprises a stem 47 extending inwardly into this interior 46 and provided with an O-ring gasket 48 on its inner end. The stem 47 is urged in an outward direction, or to the right in FIG. 2, by a spring 49 which surrounds the stem 47. When the stem 47 is in the position shown in FIG. 2 the gasket 48 seals an annular passage 50 around the inner end of the stem 47. When in the position shown the spring 49 has its inner end bearing against a resilient ring 51 and its outer end received in the annular groove in a finger engageable operating button 52. The lower end of this button 52 within the confines of the body member 23 is cut away as indicated at 53.

The operation of the device is as follows. The tension in the spring 32 is such that it is normally in position to engage the peripheral groove 17 in the adapter 15 and hold the coupler l4 firmly attached thereto. Water from the faucet (not shown) or the like to which the adapter is attached then flows through the interior 46 of the adapter and then laterally through the supply hose [2 into the appliance 10. The water pressure within the coupler after being attached to the adapter 15 is sealed against escape by the internal expansible gasket 60. Then, at the conclusion of operation of the appliance the handle 39 containing the projecting handle end 36 of the spring is moved to expand the spring (or clockwise from the position viewed in FIG. 3) and thus hold the arcuate portion of the spring clear of the annular groove 17. The coupler 14 can then be removed from the adapter 15 which remains attached to the faucet or similar liquid supply.

Before this is done, however, in order to prevent accidental spillage or spraying from within the adapter the operating button 52 on the bleed valve 45 is depressed inwardly with the result that the O-ring 48 opens the inner end of the annular passage 50 to bleed water from the interior 46. Any water that would tend to flow outwardly through the passage 50 would be directed downwardly into the sink where the filling faucet is ordinarily located by flow outwardly through the annular passage 50 and then downwardly through the cutaway portion 53 and the bottom opening chamber 54in the cooperating body members 23. As stated earlier, the coupler 14 not only contains the water supply hose l2 and the described associated structure but also provides a firm lock for the water drain hose 12 so that water directed therethtough the customary manner will flow downwardly through the bottom opening lower end 55 of the drain hose into the sink or other place of disposal.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the arcuate retaining spring. In this embodiment the retaining spring 56 has a pair of projecting handle ends 57 that are positioned on opposite sides of a projection 58. Thus in this embodiment an operating cover (not shown) similar to the cover 40 may be turned in either direction within the areuate groove 59 to release the coupler 14 from the adapter.

Having described-our invention as related to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified.

We claim:

I. A filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance and the like, comprising: adapter means for attachment to a water supply, said adapter means having an external shoulder member; an input hose; an inlet tubular member having one end portion surrounding said adapter means at said shoulder member when in position on said adapter means and an opposite end portion externally receiving an end of said hose; a pair of opposite side members adapted to be clamped together and having hose engaging areas for pressing said hose end on said opposite end portion of said tubular member; and a drain hose and spaced elements on each said side member for engaging on the outer surface of said drain hose, said drain hose having an enlarged outer surface section engaged by said spaced elements.

2. A filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance and the like, comprising: adapter means for attachment to a water supply, said adapter means having an external shoulder member; an input hose; an inlet tubular member having one end-portion surrounding said adapter means at said shoulder member when in position on said adapter means and an opposite end portion externally receiving an end of said hose; a pair of opposite side members adapted to be clamped together and having hose engaging areas for pressing said hose end on said opposite end portion of said tubular member; a latch device having a displaeeable member engaging said shoulder member to retain said coupler on said adapter means; and flange means on said side members engaging said latch device.

3. The coupler of claim 2 wherein said displaeeable member comprises an areuate spring having one end fixed and the other end extending outwardly as a handle for flexing said spring from its coupler retaining engagement with said shoulder member.

4. The coupler of claim 3 wherein there is provided a rotatable cover for said spring having a handle section receiving and concealing said other ehd of said areuate spring.

5 The coupler of claim 4 wherein said flange means engages said cover thereby rotatably retaining the cover in assembly.

6. A filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance and the like, comprising: adapter means for attachment to a water supply, said adapter means having an external shoulder member; an input hose; an inlet tubular member having one end portion surrounding said adapter means at said shoulder member when in position on said adapter means and an opposite end portion externally receiving an end of said hose; a pair of opposite side members adapted to be clamped together and having hose engaging areas for pressing said hose end on said opposite end portion of said tubular member; a bleed valve leading into said tubular member normally closed but displaeeable to open position; and means on said side members for retaining said bleed valve between the side members.

7. The coupler of claim 6 wherein said bleed valve has a downwardly opening water passageway means therein leading from said tubular member. 

1. A filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance and the like, comprising: adapter means for attachment to a water supply, said adapter means having an external shoulder member; an input hose; an inlet tubular member having one end portion surrounding said adapter means at said shoulder member when in position on said adapter means and an opposite end portion externally receiving an end of said hose; a pair of opposite side members adapted to be clamped together and having hose engaging areas for pressing said hose end on said opposite end portion of said tubular member; and a drain hose and spaced elements on each said side member for engaging on the outer surface of said drain hose, said drain hose having an enlarged outer surface section engaged by said spaced elements.
 2. A filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance and the like, comprising: adapter means for attachment to a water supply, said adapter means having an external shoulder member; an input hose; an inlet tubular member having one end portion surrounding said adapter means at said shoulder member when in position on said adapter means and an opposite end portion externally receiving an end of said hose; a pair of opposite side members adapted to be clamped together and having hose engaging areas for pressing said hose end on said opposite end portion of said tubular member; a latch device having a displaceable member engaging said shoulder member to retain said coupler on said adapter means; and flange means on said side members engaging said latch device.
 3. The coupler of claim 2 wherein said displaceable member comprises an arcuate spring having one end fixed and the other end extending outwardly as a handle for flexing said spring from its coupler retaining engagement with said shoulder member.
 4. The coupler of claim 3 wherein there is provided a rotatable cover for said spring having a handle section receiving and concealing said other end of said arcuate spring.
 5. The coupler of claim 4 wherein said flange means engages said cover thereby rotatably retaining the cover in assembly.
 6. A filling and drain coupler for supplying water to and draining water from an appliance and the like, comprising: adapter means for attachment to a water supply, said adapter means having an external shoulder member; an input hose; an inlet tubular member having one end portion surrounding said adapter means at said shoulder member when in position on said adapter means and an opposite end portion externally receiving an end of said hose; a pair of opposite side members adapted to be clamped together and having hose engaging areas for pressing said hose end on said opposite end portion of said tubular member; a bleed valve leading into said tubular member normally closed but displaceable to open position; and means on said side members for retaining said bleed valve between the side members.
 7. The coupler of claim 6 wherein said bleed valve has a downwardly opening water passageway means therein leading from said tubular member. 